This invention relates generally to dual compartment safety tires and methods therefore and, more particularly, to a safety tire and method having a heavy duty inner tire bounded by a relatively thick road surface and an outer tire bounded by a relatively thin road surface.
As is well-known, a flat tire can cause inconvenience and, if occurring while a vehicle is moving, is potentially hazardous. Where the vehicle is moving, a sudden blow-out can cause a driver to lose control, with potentially disastrous consequences. Where the vehicle is stationary when the flat occurs, or when the flat does not occur a driver to lose control of a moving vehicle, there remains the matter of replacing the flat tire. If the vehicle owner either lacks a spare tire or is unable to change the flat tire for whatever reason, the driver will be stuck.
There are a number of prior art patents directed to dual compartment tires, where a flat in the outer compartment leaves an inflated inner compartment. The purpose of these designs is to permit a driver to maintain control in the event of a blowout, and to drive for assistance where it is inconvenient or impractical for the driver to change a flat himself or herself. These include, by way of example, patents issued to Howard (U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,127); Tubbs (U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,454); and King (U.S. Pat. No. 2,754,875).
However, prior art dual compartment tires such as the ones disclosed in these references comprise an outer tire compartment bounded by a relatively thick road surface and an inner tire bounded by a relatively thin road surface. This design makes the inner tire vulnerable to itself becoming flat upon use, and thus impractical for use as a temporary spare tire.
A need therefore existed for a dual compartment tire having a heavier duty inner tire compartment, and thus one that could be more practically relied upon for use as a temporary spare tire. Specifically, a need existed for a dual compartment tire having a heavy duty inner tire bounded by a relatively thick road surface and an outer tire bounded by a relatively thin road surface. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other, related, advantages.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dual compartment tire having a heavier duty inner tire compartment versus prior art dual compartment tires.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dual compartment tire having a heavy duty inner tire bounded by a relatively thick road surface and an outer tire bounded by a relatively thin road surface.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a dual compartment tire is disclosed. The dual compartment tire comprises, in combination: a primary air compartment having a relatively thin exterior surface; and a secondary air compartment internal to the primary air compartment and having a relatively thicker exterior surface.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing a more durable secondary air compartment for a dual compartment tire is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: providing a primary air compartment having a relatively thin exterior surface; providing a secondary air compartment internal to the primary air compartment and having a relatively thicker exterior surface; and filling each of the primary air compartment and the secondary air compartment with air.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.